Many African/African American women including myself have unknowingly fried and damaged our hair. Damage usually occurs for women who do not know enough or only know little about the relaxers that they use. Damaged hair is also caused from not knowing how to take care of the hair after it has been relaxed or chemically treated. But hair breakage and damage can be caused by heat and from too much pressure on the hair and scalp from hairstyles, such as braids and cornrows, which need to be moisturized daily to keep hair growing and to stop shedding. Heat from tools such as flat irons and hot curlers, and tension hairstyles like braids and cornrows are especially damaging when they are done too closely after a relaxer or other chemical based products have been applied or used.

How Does A Relaxer Work:
Relaxers break the hair down. This is because relaxers work on the same princple as many commercial products that are bought and used to remove hair from a person's sink or drain. It has been stated that relaxers work because they break down the bonds that gives the strength to our hair. The breaking down of our hair bonds is what causes the hair to straighten out. So relaxed hair, by definition is weaker than natural hair. Relaxers also do a great job of stripping African/African American hair of sebum which is the oil that your scalp secretes. Like I already stated earlier, applying heat after this process can truly cause a problem. Everyone especially African/African American women should educate themselves with this important scale that is acknowledged as the pH scale. The pH scale ranges from 0-14. Water is neutral because it is right in the middle of the scale with a pH of seven.

Since water is at the middle of the pH scale it is neither acidic or basic. Substances with a higher pH are called alkali, caustic, or basic. Solutions with a lower pH are called acidic. So basically the further from the number seven, whether it is higher or lower the more the product or solution will do in terms of burning or breaking chemical bonds. But what you need to truly keep in mind is that a whole number difference in the scale is much more greater than what you may probably think. This means that a solution or product that is pH 8 is ten times more basic than a solution that is pH 7. Just as if there is a product or solution with a pH 5 is 100 times more acidic than a pH 7. Relaxers whether they are lye or no lye, they both have a very high pH, which is very near the top of the scale. So in other words relaxers are caustic.

No Lye Relaxers vs Lye Relaxers vs Natural Relaxers:
Many African/African American women including our hairstylists believe the myth that no lye relaxers take majority of the worrying out of straightening the hair. Well I am going to tell you that this is very untrue. Yes, no lye relaxers may be a little bit more gentle on the scalp, but the FDA has several complaints of scalp irritation from no lye relaxers as well as lye relaxers. Therefore, the same safety precautions apply to both. Now, natural relaxers have received a bad rap. I feel that this is because the term relaxer may be misleading. When many of us hear the term they think of bone straight hair. But in this case a true natural herbal relaxer or texturizer are suppose to just relax your kinky curls with each application or deeply moisturize such as a deep conditioner but better. Such as the Natural-Laxer Mixer at treasuredlocks.com. But you should really be aware of those relaxers that claim to be all natural.

Information Stated By Treasuredlocks.com About Their Natural Relaxer:
“The natural relaxer that we sell is an all herbal hair treatment. It is of an herbal texturizer. It is not a straightener. You simply are not going to get kinky black hair to become bone straight an “all natural” way. What our relaxer does is gradually allow the natural curl pattern to relax. This causes the hair to be less kinky and somewhat straighter. It also makes the hair softer. Some interesting side effects of this relaxer is that you end up with less tangles, less breakage and the hair is actually straighter, and encouraged to grow by the relaxer. The relaxer also helps prevent reversion of pressed hair. The relaxer works with a cumulative effect. After the first application or two, the differences are subtle but noticeable. Over time the relaxer makes the hair softer and softer. This is an excellent treatment for damaged permed hair, an aid in transition from perms to natural hair, or a conditioner/detangler for natural hair.”

To Recover Damaged Hair:
To begin your journey back to healthy hair you should read another one of my articles titled African American Hair Growth And Putting an End To Breakage Pt 1 Our Hair Care Basics. You should also visit treasuredlocks.com. They have something for every African/African American hair type, including biracial hair types,as well as problems. Treasuredlocks.com is trusted by many including myself. As a matter of fact now their products are the only hair products that I use period. They have everything from all natural hair growth vitamin supplements to all natural hair growth oils, shampoos, and conditioners. They also have hair care sets that attack all of the main reasons for damaged hair as well as the reasons for shedding hair. So you should really do yourself a favor and visit treasuredlocks.com. They even have the best all herbal and natural skincare products, but that is a whole other article.

Like soft fingertips on the silky finish of a guitar
From the passionate chalice of pink desire, my lips
As a lightning rod invites the fires of the blazon skies,
a current of anxious intensity penetrates your soul

The radiant masculinity of your motions,
Soft back-arching and chin-trembling possessions
exasperated and weak, burning pools of instinctual zeal and zest
Smoldering ashes of vacillating emotion rise up in your dry throat

Only to be fanned and fed by the pyres of my touch
Lulled and mollified by the hedonistic pithy whims of my core
they cry out yes, yes but beg me no
As an animal is not to be caged, a man is not to be owned

It is only in the flurry of desire, rapaciousness, cold and loneliness
that we yearn for the potentiality to experience ownership of his soul
For in the natural world of she versus he
his spirit would crumble as the vestiges of ancient Greece

Walk the sod of our immediate universe to see
Stags and consorts and philanderers coiled in the clay shell of some woman's embrace
From past or current is never told, for the only matter of concern lies in its strength;
no sound creates more sublime rapture than its chipping away

I'm sure everyone has heard of WD-40. We've all used it for squeaky doors, tight screws and things like that. Recently I've learned that it can be used for many other things that you would never think of.

WD-40 stands for Water Displacement #40. The product came about from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser for missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Ken East (one of the original founders of WD-40) says there is nothing in WD-40 that can hurt you. The basic ingredient in WD-40 is fish oil.

Here are the 43 uses:

1. It protects silver from tarnishing.
2. It removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Lubricates and cleans guitar strings.
4. Gives floors a just waxed look without making them slippery.
5. Keeps flies off cows.
6. Removes lipstick stains.
7. Cleans and restores chalkboards.
8. Untangles jewelry chains.
9. Loosens zippers.
10. Removes stains from stainless steal sinks.
11. Keeps terra cotta/ceramic pots from oxidizing
12. Removes dirt and grime from BBQ grills.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Camouflages scratches in marble and ceramic floors.
15. Keeps glass and plastic shower doors free of water spots.
16. Lubricates squeaky door hinges on cars and in home.
17. Keeps scissors working smoothly and sharp.
18. Removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor.
19. Removes dead bugs from your car.
20. Gives you child a super-fast slide on their play gym and a nice shine.
21. Fixes those squeaky swings and rocking chairs.
22. Lubricates gear shift on riding mowers.
23. Use on the umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
24. Cleans and restores leather dashboards in cars as well as vinyl bumpers.
25. Lubricates tracks in (home) windows, making them easier to open and close.
26. Stops squeaks in electric fans.
27. Cleans and restores vehicle roof racks.
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on bicycles, tricycles, and wagons.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers, keeping them running smoothly.
30. Removes grease from stove.
31. Protects saws and saw blades from rusting.
32. Keeps bathroom mirrors from fogging.
33. Keeps pigeons off your balcony.
34. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
35. Cleans and protects decorative swords.
36. Removes duct tape, all traces of it.
37. Some people use it to relieve their arthritis pain by spraying it on their arms, hands, etc.
38. Cleans and removes love bugs from you bumper and grill.
39. Spray a very little amount on your bait/lures and you'll have great luck with the big catch. Note: using chemical laced bait/lures for fishing is not aloud in some states.
40. Relief from fire ant bites, kills the sting and itch.
41. Removes crayon from walls, use rag and wipe clean.
42. Spraying WD-40 on the distributor cap would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
43. If you've left your lipstick in a pocket and washed and dried it with your laundry, spray lipstick spots and wash again.

Well, there you have it, 43 uses for WD-40. There may be more, these are just the 43 that I know of. Who would have guessed it?

Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection known as tinea pedis. There are several species of the fungi that can affect other parts of the body. Ringworm is tinea corporis, tinea cruris is jock itch. These fungi need darkness and moisture to grow so one of the best preventatives for athlete’s foot is to go barefoot. While this isn't possible at all times, you should let your feet air out as often as possible.

There are many anti-fungal herbs that you can use to treat athletes foot:

Garlic (Allium sativum). Garlic is an antifungal antiseptic and is effective in treating athlete’s foot as well as vaginal yeast infections. You can use several crushed cloves of garlic in a traditional footbath to soak your feet in. Simply add some crushed cloves to warm water with a little bit of rubbing alcohol and enjoy a nice foot soak.
Another way is to make garlic oil that you can dab on your feet and between your toes. To do this just steep several cloves of garlic in some olive oil for one to three days. Strain the garlic cloves from the mixture and dab the oil on with a cotton ball.
You can also place a small sliver of garlic between your toes on the effected areas. Although this approach may not be the most convenient it is something that you can try while sitting around watching TV. If the whole garlic causes a skin irritation then you might want to just use the foot soak or the oil method.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Ginger contains caprylic acid which is good for fungal infections. To make a ginger tonic simply add one ounce of crushed ginger to a cup of boiling water and let it simmer for 20 minutes. When the mixture is cool enough to use, simply apply it to the affected areas using a cotton ball.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). Licorice has 25 fungicidal compounds and has been used by the Chinese to treat ringworm. It can be added to the garlic foot bath if you'd like or make a strong brew using five to seven teaspoons of dried herb to a cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes. When it is cool simply apply it to the affected areas with a cotton ball.

Teatree (Melaleuca). Teatree oil is an antiseptic. To treat athletes foot the oil should be diluted in equal parts of water or vegetable oil and applied to the affected area three times a day. Do not ingest teatree oil as a few teaspoons can be fatal.

Camomile (Matricaria recutita). Camomile can be used as a fungicidal as well as a calming tonic. Camomile oil can be used the same way as teatree oil or you can mix the two together. Remember that camomile is a member of the ragweed family so if you have allergies you may want to test it once and wait a few days before reapplying it.

Echinacea (Echinacea). Echinacea is an immune stimulant and is good for treating yeast infections. Many health food stores sell echinacea as a tincture. You can add it to your juice or other drinks three times a day or just take a dose orally. Echinacea may cause your tongue to tingle or go numb, but this effect is harmless.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis). Goldenseal contains berberine which is an antifungal and an antibacterial compound. Goldenseal makes a good antibiotic. Goldenseal comes available in a tinture like echinacea or you can make a liquid using the dried herb. Add five to seven teaspoons to a cup of boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes. Apply to the affected area using a cotton ball and reapply three times daily.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon). You can drink lemongrass tea or use the spent tea bags to place on the affected areas as a compress.

Tomato and herb sauce. You can make a pasta sauce of tomatoes and add lots of basil, celery, carrot, dill, fennel, sage and thyme. This sauce contains a lot of antifungal properties. You can even put the sauce between your toes if the mess doesn't bother you.

In 2004, Kobe Bryant became a household name. Mostly known for his position within the NBA, Bryant was propelled even further into the spotlight when a young woman accused him of rape. After much intense media coverage, Bryant was eventually found not guilty. Given the accuser's background, few were surprised. It was a whirlwind trial that brought to light a very damaging picture of the accuser. Her promiscuity and emotional state weighed heavy on the verdict. Sadly, this trial represents a dilemma that plagues American society; the false accusation of rape. Though Bryant's acquittal might be viewed as a success, the reality is that justice has really not been served at all. The accuser faced no judicial punishment for making false accusations. Without some type of repercussion for this type of behavior, our justice system remains flawed.

Rape is a violent act which leaves many of its victims emotionally traumatized for years, even decades. In 2003 alone, America was witness to 93,433 forcible rape cases (US Department of Justice). Rape accounts for a major portion of violent crimes committed in the United States. It is a crime taken very seriously here in America with dire repercussions for the offenders. Punishment for such a heinous crime can range from a few years to a life sentence. Nowadays, with such technological advances in DNA testing and other forensic aspects, our judicial system ensures that the offender will be prosecuted. Though the system has not yet been perfected, more often than not, justice is served, at least, as far as the accuser is concerned. On the flipside, however, there seems to be an increase in a disturbing phenomenon of women making false rape accusations, with little to no repercussions.

Unfortunately, following an intense era, in which women's rights were advocated to such a length and with so much distortion as to sometimes lose sight of their original point, this new problem often falls on deaf ears. “In her recent Daily Journal column, high profile feminist professor Wendy Murphy dismisses the problem of false accusations as an “ugly myth,” and calls for “boiling rage” activism to address what she perceives as the anti-woman bias of the criminal justice system.” (Angelucci and Sacks) Murphy is one of many women who do not want to even consider the notion that women do falsely accuse men of committing rape. In many ways, one can understand their apprehension. The opposition may fear that women's rights are being threatened. However, that cannot overshadow the fact that false accusations are wrong, illegal, even. In fact, the judicial system has created at least two clear categories that such accusations could fall under; perjury and/or slander. Our society clearly has a means in which to punish these accusers, yet rarely, if ever, has anyone been prosecuted of such.

For the feminist who advocates that a false accusation is insignificant, they may want to consider how truly disrespectful a false allegation is to the woman who has ever actually been raped. These liars, who so casually and carelessly manipulate such a crime as rape for their own personal gain, disrespect our judicial system, victims, and most importantly, our society. Sadly, we have allotted them the freedom to do so, for without some formal punishment, society has implied that we tolerate it.

Not all accusations are so black and white, however. Date rape is a prime example of those lines which are very unclear. Sometimes, it is difficult to prove either guilt or innocence. For those situations, my proposal becomes highly complicated. I address this with the unfortunate reality that sometimes there must be flaws in the judicial system, for it must work for the majority at all times. On the other side, however, numerous studies have shown that often enough, women have falsely accused someone of rape. “According to a nine-year study conducted by former Purdue sociologist Eugene J. Kanin, in over 40 percent of the cases reviewed, the complainants eventually admitted that no rape had occurred (Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 23, No. 1, 1994). Kanin also studied rape allegations in two large Midwestern universities and found that 50 percent of the allegations were recanted by the accuser” (Angelucci and Sacks). More often than not, these studies find that these women were usually motivated by anger and a need for revenge (Angelucci and Sacks).

One need not look far to understand that false accusations are much more common than most realize. This unfortunate phenomenon will continue to gain popularity for as long as our society allows. We must address this dilemma and impose rules to protect not only the accused, but the real victims of such a horrendous crime.